ESA Press Efforts, Moved posts |
ESA Press Efforts, Moved posts |
Mar 4 2007, 06:07 PM
Post
#136
|
|
Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8783 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
It's pretty tough to change the culture of an organization, and from what I can gather ESA's PR efforts are probably a direct function of the science team's willingness to release data for public consumption. I suspect that they (the science teams) feel that outreach is a diversion from their research efforts, which probably have very fixed budgets & thereby limited labor hours. Therefore, the pressure point is ESA senior management, since only they can directly influence the science teams; moreover, the managers are probably more aware of the importance of PR for acquiring & maintaining project funding.
I suggest starting an online petition on some site like this & delivering the results to the appropriate office at ESA. Numbers speak-loudly. If Emily or another TPS insider could also publicize the effort this could significantly increase the number of signatures. FWIW, it would be entirely appropriate in my opinion to encourage non-European spaceflight enthusiasts to support this cause. The results of space exploration are a gift and a boon to all mankind, regardless of who's directly paying the bill. -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
|
|
|
Mar 4 2007, 07:10 PM
Post
#137
|
|
Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14432 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
I'm having a serious think about this one...I want to speak to some people, consider something a bit more proactive than a petition or mass emailing. I'll get back to you
Doug |
|
|
Mar 4 2007, 09:50 PM
Post
#138
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 624 Joined: 10-August 05 Member No.: 460 |
Since Alice is a US-provided instrument, I'd have thought that if the PI (Alan Stern) wanted to release some data he could do so without ESA's involvement, but I don't know exactly how that relationship works. I would guess that the Alice team is subject to the same PDS data archiving timetable that instrument teams on a NASA mission would be. I don't know what the obligation of ESA science teams to release data to ESA member states and their citizens is; as a US citizen, I can expect nothing at all from ESA. Actually you can, and you should. If you read through the science agreements on Huygens - agreements made with NASA and imposed upon all the instrument teams, there was a general embargo on the data until May or June of 2006. At this time a general release of all of the data was contractually required. It didn't happen. First it was announced the delay would be until July, Then August, then there was a partial release in September...then nothing. NASA provided a great deal of support on this mission, and provides communication support on virtually all ESA missions, and this usually includes both periods and limits on data embargos. These should be respected - and they are contractually required. My US representative is aware US scientists do not have access to the data that is promised in contractual agreements. This is a reasonable place to put pressure: Live up to the contracts. |
|
|
Mar 4 2007, 09:57 PM
Post
#139
|
|
Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14432 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
Just for a bit of a laugh...
Because I registered with the ESA Press Office in Paris for the Rosetta event...I now recieve, typically two a week, printed copies of all their press releases, by post. Now - ignoring the madness of not just emailing these things out, the cost alone must be astronomical, I've had four so far, postage to the UK from Paris, etc etc - couple of Euros probably. If they keep up this rate it'll be something like 40 Euros a year. Multiply that by the number of press they've probably got registered....you've got a new outreach position you could pay for. All a bit old school really. Doug |
|
|
Mar 4 2007, 10:02 PM
Post
#140
|
|
Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8783 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
Old-school indeed, and perhaps very illuminating. Beginning to think that the ESA PR department consists of about three people (maybe) operating under policies & procedures that were developed circa 1981 or earlier...certainly not enough resources available to cope with the current mission tempo, apparently.
-------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
|
|
|
Mar 4 2007, 10:09 PM
Post
#141
|
|
Senior Member Group: Admin Posts: 4763 Joined: 15-March 05 From: Glendale, AZ Member No.: 197 |
the cost alone must be astronomical There's a headline. ESA Facing Astronomical Costs. -------------------- If Occam had heard my theory, things would be very different now.
|
|
|
Mar 4 2007, 10:11 PM
Post
#142
|
|
Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14432 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
Oh - just to make it a bit more idiotic, in each case, I've opened it, read the first line, and thrown it away because I know I read the full text about 3, 4 days earlier on the web.
Doug |
|
|
Mar 4 2007, 10:21 PM
Post
#143
|
|
Senior Member Group: Admin Posts: 4763 Joined: 15-March 05 From: Glendale, AZ Member No.: 197 |
I work in the business and we actually snicker and ridicule when someone asks for a press release to be faxed these days.
-------------------- If Occam had heard my theory, things would be very different now.
|
|
|
Mar 5 2007, 12:20 AM
Post
#144
|
|
Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8783 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
Hey, Dan. This is probably way too broad a question, but how do you pros conduct marketing/public outreach? Any innovative methods that ESA could employ from your experience?
-------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
|
|
|
Mar 5 2007, 12:27 AM
Post
#145
|
|
Senior Member Group: Admin Posts: 4763 Joined: 15-March 05 From: Glendale, AZ Member No.: 197 |
That's a whole college course.
I think for now ESA needs to recruit known "science" types or or famous intellectuals to write editorials and columns touting their efforts and successes. Maybe even well known Americans, like retired astronauts, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs -- people like that the public can connect with. -------------------- If Occam had heard my theory, things would be very different now.
|
|
|
Mar 5 2007, 01:09 AM
Post
#146
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2511 Joined: 13-September 05 Member No.: 497 |
If you read through the science agreements on Huygens - agreements made with NASA and imposed upon all the instrument teams, there was a general embargo on the data until May or June of 2006. At this time a general release of all of the data was contractually required. It didn't happen. First it was announced the delay would be until July, Then August, then there was a partial release in September...then nothing. According to the page at http://pds-atmospheres.nmsu.edu/data_and_s...ns/Huygens.html the data were delivered to PDS in July 2006 but PDS has not yet validated it. So it would seem that the delay may be due to PDS and not to the instrument teams or ESA. -------------------- Disclaimer: This post is based on public information only. Any opinions are my own.
|
|
|
Mar 5 2007, 01:09 AM
Post
#147
|
|
Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8783 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
Good idea, Dan. Sounds like Sir Patrick Moore might be the ideal spokesman. Based on what I've heard, he's an icon throughout most of Europe. Question is, how do you convince ESA that they need to enlist him (uh, and by the way, release some <clinking> images?)
Sorry...bit of frustration, there. ESA reminds me of Sandia or Livermore National Laboratories in many ways here in the US. They do some incredible work, and although much of it is highly classified that which isn't is rarely publicized anywhere near the degree that it should be. True, they really don't need a lot of PR to stay afloat due to their criticality...but ESA sure does, and they just don't get it. -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
|
|
|
Mar 5 2007, 01:35 AM
Post
#148
|
|
Senior Member Group: Admin Posts: 4763 Joined: 15-March 05 From: Glendale, AZ Member No.: 197 |
ESA reminds me of Sandia or Livermore National Laboratories My next door neighbor works for Livermore. (The 20-something kid commutes 2 hours each way!) He can't even tell me what department he works in. -------------------- If Occam had heard my theory, things would be very different now.
|
|
|
Mar 5 2007, 06:56 AM
Post
#149
|
|
Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14432 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
the data were delivered to PDS in July 2006 http://pds-atmospheres.nmsu.edu/data_and_s...ygens/DISR.html http://pds-atmospheres.nmsu.edu/data_and_s...uygens/SSP.html Everything else is there - but these two remain MIA. Personally - with a one-off dataset like Huygens, I don't moind a delay - but I do mind not being told when it will actually be available and what the problem is. Doug |
|
|
Mar 5 2007, 07:35 AM
Post
#150
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2511 Joined: 13-September 05 Member No.: 497 |
Everything else is there - but these two remain MIA. Again, I can't tell if the data have not been delivered to PDS or if they have been and the datasets are still stuck in the review process. In any event, DISR is a mostly-US experiment so blaming ESA for any lack of data release doesn't seem appropriate to me. -------------------- Disclaimer: This post is based on public information only. Any opinions are my own.
|
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 29th April 2024 - 02:28 AM |
RULES AND GUIDELINES Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting. IMAGE COPYRIGHT |
OPINIONS AND MODERATION Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators. |
SUPPORT THE FORUM Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member. |